The 1960s-70s French Jazz Underground on Record (Guest Special)

Out of the various European scenes that the 1960s free jazz movement strongly impacted, the French scene remains less well-known. Thanks in large part to the extensive reissue work done by the Souffle Continu label, a lot of excellent music is finally getting heard beyond its immediate context. But English-language material providing entry points into the scene is still lacking.

For Discogs, I recently wrote a short introduction to the 1960s-70s French jazz underground on record. It is available online, following this link: “Inside France’s Underground Jazz Movement of the '60s and '70s.”

My focus was on easily accessible recordings, selections that would showcase both the wide scope of the scene and its strong originality. Inevitably, a lot of great music and great musicians did not make the final cut of a piece meant to be a general introduction.

Writing the article, I asked a number of friends what they thought should be included. One of those friends was veteran radio broadcaster Olivier Delaporte, a highly knowledgeable specialist of free jazz and its lesser-known corners. Olivier also thought that the focus should be placed on the French scene’s originality, but he took an approach opposite to mine, focusing on more obscure, often overlooked titles.

It seemed clear that publishing Olivier’s list here would be an ideal complement to my Discogs piece. Here it is below. Short (informal) comments follow the references of the albums.

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A Selection by Olivier Delaporte

Acting Trio, Acting Trio, BYG 529.314, 1969, LP.

A good, rather atypical record, featuring saxophonist Philippe Maté and in part looking toward contemporary music territories.

Armonicord, Esprit de sel, L’Électrobande ELB 7701, 1977, LP.

The two horn players, Jouk Minor and Jean Querlier, are really good, and the use of the harpsichord gives this album a special sound. Although he didn’t record much, Minor was truly an outstanding musician.

Raymond Boni/Claude Bernard, Pot-pourri pour parce que, Hat Hut HAT-G, 1978, LP.

Also a very singular recording, the two musicians are excellent, even if it is Claude Bernard who delivers the highlights for me here.

Cohelmec Ensemble, 5 octobre 1974, Chevance 74606, 1975, 2 LPs.

Of the bands that at times shared personnel such as Machi Oul and Dharma [groups that belonged to France’s “second generation” of free jazz musicians—Ed.], I think it is the Cohelmec that should first be included in a list of this type.

Jacques Coursil Unit, Way Ahead, BYG 529.319, 1969, LP.

Bassist Beb Guérin and drummer Claude Delcloo are really good here, it is particularly notable for Delcloo, who never had a great reputation. What he does very well is impulsing a movement rather than playing specific rhythms, and he does it in a quite subtle manner.

Cheikh Tidiane Fall/Bobby Few/Jo Maka, Diom Futa, Free Lance FRL 001, 1979, LP.

Possibly a surprising choice, but this record illustrates well a “world” tendency that emerged during the later 1970s. It was in my opinion a direct effect of François Tusques’s Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra. Don Cherry’s Music/Sangam also comes to mind. [I wrote about a Diom Futa reissue for the New York City Jazz Record in 2019—​Ed.]

Full Moon Ensemble featuring Claude Delcloo, Crowded with Loneliness, CBS/AKT S 64267, 1970, LP.

This album is often discussed as a “spiritual jazz” LP. In fact, it is a strange record reflecting several different trends of US jazz, something a bit messy but that remains under control. Mysterious vocalist Sarah’s somewhat surrealistic verses add a French touch, and Jef Sicard, Gérard Coppéré, and Joseph Déjean all are great instrumentalists.

Horde catalytique pour la fin, Horde catalytique pour la fin, Futura SON 03, 1971, LP.

Maybe also a surprising choice, but I included this album because of how difficult classifying it would be. It shows how eclectic Gérard Terronès was, producing both something like this and a Chris Woods record on his Futura label.

Philippe Maté/Daniel Vallancien, Saravah SH 10 009, 1972, LP.

This one was selected for its highly improbable sound and the overall audio work, which was really ahead of its time.

Saheb Sarbib, Evil Season, Un-Deux-Trois N° 4, 1975, LP.

Saheb Sarbib is an excellent musician, as is saxophonist Daunik Lazro, but it is the compositions that are the real highlight here for me.

Nommo, Dans le caprice amer des sables, PALM 29, 1977, LP.

Saxophonist André Jaume might be considered as somewhat “cold” by some, but this record is truly excellent, in large part thanks to percussionist Gérard Siracusa. It likely won’t be reissued, it did not become a sought-after LP.

Celestrial Communication Orchestra, Desert Mirage, IACP 7004, 1983, 2 LPs.

A terrific Alan Silva double LP featuring nearly exclusively French musicians, some of whom later vanished. Silva conceived this record in a more melodic vein than previous Celestrial albums.

Texture Sextet, Texture Sextet, IACP TEX 1001, 1982, LP.

This is from the early 1980s, but the mix of jazz, folk, and even, at times, klezmer influences works very well.

Jacques Thollot, Cinq Hops, Free Bird FLY 03, 1979, LP.

A very original album featuring a lyric singer and Thollot’s singular approach in its entirety, a successful encounter.

François Tusques, La Chasse au snark, Cacophonic 27CACKLP, 2020, 2 LPs.

Out of Tusques’s extensive catalog, I selected this archival release because it illustrates well the chaotic atmosphere of the late 1960s. Notably, a side comes from the Comité Action Musique sessions [a series of albums self-produced by French musicians afer the May 1968 events that remained unreleased—Ed.].

Barney Wilen, Auto Jazz: Tragic Destiny of Lorenzo Bandini, MPS 15 164 ST, 1968, LP.

Another album that has no equivalent elsewhere. It also features Tusques, but the free playing of Wilen’s group takes place against the recording of an auto racing event that cost the life of driver Lorenzo Bandini.